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Aerosol recycling

New household aerosol recycling scheme

Residents across Brighton & Hove are now able to recycle household aerosol cans from Monday 2 August. Brighton & Hove City Council introduced household aerosol recycling as part of ongoing work to cut waste and increase recycling in the city.

Households receiving a black box recycling service can now put empty aerosols out for recycling, along with other materials such as cans, paper, cardboard and plastic bottles. Aerosols can also be deposited in can collection banks in blocks of flats and at 75 recycling points across the city, from Portslade to Saltdean.

Aluminium and steel used in aerosol containers can be recycled for a range of different uses, including new cans, car parts, washing machines and even window frames.

Aerosols must be empty before they are put out for recycling. They should not be pierced or crushed and the lid should be removed.

Why recycle aerosols, the facts...

580 million aerosols are used in the UK every year. Over half are used in ‘personal care’ products, eg deodorant, body sprays, hair and shaving products

The average household uses 27 aerosols each year - that’s 10 per person per year

Aerosols can be made from aluminium or steel

Recycling a tonne of steel saves 1.5 tonnes of iron ore and reduces CO2 emissions by 80% when compared to making the metal from raw materials

Recycling a tonne of aluminium saves nine tonnes of C02 emissions and four tonnes of bauxite – the raw material from which aluminium is made

Aluminium and steel can be endlessly recycled, without losing quality - it can take as little as six weeks for a drink can to be recycled, and back on the supermarket shelf as another can